1. Technical Field
The field of this invention is cooking utensils. More specifically, the present invention is a steak weight having a durable construction, improved weight distribution, handling and sanitary qualities.
2. Background
A steak weight is a device used in cooking of meat such as steak cuts, fillets, chops or burgers or patties to provide a downward force on the meat, pressing it against the cooking surface to accelerate cooking of the steak to the desired level, such as, for example “rare,” “medium-rare,” “medium,” “medium-well” or “well done” and also to impart the pattern of the cooking surface onto the meat surface for improved aesthetics of the meat portion when served. For example, when the cooking surface is a grill, the steak weight helps to impart to the meat surface the lines of the grill surface, and cooks can create a cross hash pattern on the meat surface by reorienting the meat on the grill. Steak weights are also used when cooking bacon and other thin meat cuts to prevent the bacon or other thin meat cut from curling up when cooking. In restaurants, where food must be prepared quickly for good customer service, steak weights are very important to quicken the cooking of meat to the desired level and for aesthetic presentation of the meat. The steak weight surface itself can include a pattern or branding that can be imparted to the steak surface by pressing the steak weight down on top of the steak.
Steak weights are usually made of metal such as cast iron or aluminum and usually consist of a rectangular flat bottom plate portion with a couple of brackets protruding upwardly from the top surface of the plate. A wood handle is usually used, consisting of a tubular piece of wood that is disposed horizontally over the center portion of the bottom plate portion, parallel to the bottom plate, and is mounted on each end to the bottom plate's brackets using wood screws driven through the center portion of each end of the handle. The configuration resembles a rectangular trowel, except that steak weights are heavier so as to impart the desired downward force when placed on the top of a steak. As noted above, the bottom plate can have a smooth bottom surface or alternately can have a pattern, such as a waffle pattern or a restaurant logo or brand or other design so that the pattern or design is imparted to the surface of the steak. The sizes and weights of steak weights vary, with the bottom plate surface usually between four to six inches in width and seven to ten inches in length. The weights usually vary from one to five pounds. Usually aluminum is used for steak weights intended for “rare” or “medium” steak cooking and heavier cast iron is used for “medium-well” and “well done” steaks. The typical prior art steak weight is depicted in FIG. 1-A.
Wood is usually the material used for the handle of steak weights because of its ability to insulate and not transmit the heat absorbed by the metal bottom plate when the steak weight is in use over a cooking surface, enabling cooks to handle the steak weight without being burned. However, the use of wood has numerous drawbacks. The handle construction with wood screws driven through the center of the handle ends is not a durable construction, and inevitably the handle breaks off of its mounting after a relatively short period of time due to the exposure to high heat, repeated downward pressing by cooks when using the steak iron, and exposure to water when cleaning the steak weight. The placement of the handle and brackets over the center portion of the bottom plate also causes the weight to be imparted unevenly when cooks press down on the handle, adding to the stress and strain on the wood handle. Additionally, the use of wood handles is not sanitary, as the wood absorbs germs and bacteria over time. It is common to see multiple steak weights in restaurants kitchens missing their handles, making them difficult to use effectively and requiring repeated repair and replacement of the handle portion. Restaurants that serve steaks often have to purchase new steak weights or steak weight handle replacement kits every couple of months, making it a recurring expenditure.
While efforts have been made to improve steak weights by adding a temperature reading component, such as the steak weight described in U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2004/0074398, the above described deficiencies continue to exist. The present invention overcomes these deficiencies and provides a durable, sanitary and better quality utensil for cooking of steaks and other meat cuts mentioned above.